Monday, 28 July 2014

Quinoa Granola

Good evening, friends!

I am excited to get The Husband back tonight, after him being away for the past week.
There was a time when I could not stand being alone. I felt abandoned whenever The Husband had to leave, whether it was for a night out with friends or for a few days at a hockey tournament. I used to drink and eat until I fell asleep, and that was how I filled my evenings.
I have somehow, over the past year, learnt to take care of myself, and I enjoy my time alone now (not as much as The Husband's company, mind you). I cook, bake, run, walk the dog, read, study, watch stupid shows and drink tea. The dog, cat and I have a grand old time!

I made a batch of quinoa granola last night. I got the recipe from It's All Good, Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook. It makes a great breakfast with a sliced banana and some plain yogurt. It seems to keep me full for longer than traditional granola, probably because of quinoa's high protein content (fun fact: quinoa is a complete protein, which means it contains all of the essential amino acids that the body needs).
And why should it only be a breakfast food? I may or may not just have had some with Cherry-Amaretto ice cream....

Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk olive oil and maple syrup in a large bowl.
Add quinoa flakes, and mix until well combined.
Spread evenly on a baking sheet.
Bake, stirring a few times, until crunchy and golden brown (about 25 minutes).
While cooling, add nuts/seeds/dried fruit and sprinkle with sea salt.